OOPS!

Wrong site! This blogger is no longer the official website of Kelly Varesio & Insperatus, and will no longer be updated. Please head on over to KELLYVARESIO.COM, the new website for all updates and information! Thanks!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

So very busy...

This summer has come as the perfect time. After I was being pretty bogged down with school [exams were the worst] and work, I've finally had the chance to really focus back in Insperatus and think about what the best thing is for my book.

So I'm in the midst of contacting bookstores to order Insperatus in-store, contacting agents (which is super hard), and if I find a good agent then trying to be picked up by a huge publishing company such as Bantam Books or Simon & Schuster. Being a writer/author comes so easily to me, and it's something I will always do no matter if I'm published or not, but to really be a published author is a whoooooooole different ballgame; one that requires full-time attention and constant movement, or you'll suddenly find yourself really far behind the eightball.

Needless to say I have a huge to-do list, one that continually grows and never gets smaller, but it's something that I'm tackling with joy. I figure I've gotten this far, why can't I keep going? And if I could give my readers one assignment, it would be this: TALK. TALK about Insperatus, if you love it. The biggest reason good books don't sell is because no one KNOWS they exist, and the only way for people to KNOW they exist is to hear about them. So please--5 minutes--hop on Barnes & Noble's website and write a little review. Tell your friends who you think would be interested. You guys could get Insperatus farther than I could ever get it alone.

1 comment:

Hello Kelly, I met you at the Collingswood book Fair. I haven't read your book yet, but I am planning on getting it soon. It looks really interesting! Good luck with your new book & can't wait to read this soon! ~Meg K.

~Insperatus Excerpt~

~Prologue~

The men’s drunken laughter and endless taunting filled the frigid air as a lantern was lit from around a darkened, stone corner. The shadowed guard moved back further into a bend by the dungeon cell, watching the flickering light of the lone lantern grow brighter, the smell of beer filling his nostrils. The light finally exposed the two inebriated sentries shoving a bloodied and shackled prisoner through the dungeon’s narrow hallway. The prisoner was a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, and his body was battered and bruised. As the lantern swung side to side, a swollen and bleeding bite mark could be seen on his neck. The two sentinels staggered, each one holding onto an arm of the dragging prisoner. As they approached the last cell, by the shadowed man in the bend, the young prisoner was unceremoniously tossed into the iron-barred maw, collapsing upon impact. Locking the cell, they stumbled away, still laughing, and the lantern’s light faded off behind the corner. The only form of light was that of the crimson-outlined moon filtering through a dusty, barred opening at the height of the cell. The young man, wet with sweat, moved to his knees and stared at his ghostly white hands. The guard felt faint as he watched the prisoner suddenly hunch over and grab his stomach. The writhing man in the cell was wincing and panting. The guard could tell he was trying to bear up despite having been battered by the soldiers. With blood dripping down his neck, the prisoner looked up into the dim light of the cell and let out a stabbing cry. Four of his teeth speared into a point, appearing lengthened and sharp. He felt them inside his mouth, hands shaking hard, a look of shock surfacing on his face. He was changing, and with each change came horrible agony. His pain was evident in his posture; he was bent and twisted. His light brown hair streaked darker. The guard could see through filtered light that the prisoner’s once unobtrusive eye color was now a brilliant shade of red. The prisoner pulled himself to the other side of his cell where a dusty shard of a worn mirror was hung. His curiosity, despite his terror, was all that could have driven him to search his exterior, and the guard suddenly realized why he had been ordered by his own chancellor to place the mirror there. Using the last bit of strength he had, the prisoner pulled himself up and looked into the mirror, but he shrank back with fear as he witnessed his strange appearance. As he brought up his hand to feel the mirror, he realized that his reflection was slowly vanishing; soon, there was no reflection at all. He had only a moment to see himself as a strange apparition. He was now a pale and gruesome sight. The guard could not help but feel pity for the man. The prisoner’s expression had gone from fear to something strangely numb. The captive slid his trembling hands over his stomach, to his chest, and stopped. His breathing—his panting—ceased. His hands rested there until he panicked; he could feel nothing, his heart was not beating. He turned with revulsion and eyes cold as ice toward the watching sentry. The guard watched in abhorrence, with knowledge that the boy saw the guard’s own fear and antipathy within him. He dropped his spear at the sight of the young man and ran off behind the corner. The prisoner’s eyes had glared at him so questioningly. The sentry heard the man still: panting heavily, cursing whoever heard, and yelling for answers. But neither the guard, nor anyone else ever answered his echoing screams.

~Chapter 1~

The town was filled with the common bustling and busyness of life. Ladies held umbrellas high to shade their delicate skin from a blistering sun, and gentlemen walked with them, their suits fashioned to please. It was a rather common-man town, but it was a wealthy one nonetheless. The houses were quaint and lovely; gates were swung open and carriages were stationed elegantly along the roads; fields stretched across the plains with horses running blithely among the moss. In the midst of the town activity, the town’s surgeon ran the hospital, the bank was flourishing, the grocer and baker’s shop were eventful, the wine house and auction barn had its customers. There was even a learning institution near Sherwood Street called Barnard that was thriving. It was May of 1843, and just past the boarding school, across the railroad tracks, Rein Pierson bent over to brush the dust from her dress. She stood straight, looking up at the sky and squinting. The weather in Teesdale was warm and the sky was clear, but it was dreadfully windy, and she had no umbrella or hat to shade her. She did not mind the sun, however, or darkening her skin in it. The weather was too gorgeous to hide from. Despite enjoying the sun, the wind was so frustratingly fierce that it stirred the dirt from the road high into the air, making her cough. Her hair had been pulled back in a chignon, but she realized she had not made it tight enough. All she could see were the black, wavy wisps of her hair pulled from their placement as they tangled and blew into her eyes. Pushing them behind her ears, she lifted her dress above her ankles to walk across the wide, dirt road. Opening a large iron gate, she saw old Jonathan Kendrick tip his hat to her. He was hunched over and sweating while raking his yard, as he did every day, around his prized flowers and small trees. He chose to do it himself over his servants. “Good day, Rein,” he said to her as he propped his arm on the rake, wiping his tanned forearm across his face. She smiled back in greeting. “Afternoon, Mr. Kendrick. How are you today?” He glanced up at the beaming sunlight, his heavily wrinkled eyes bunching up. He laughed looking back at her. “Ah, I’m well, dear girl, not granting the sun being hotter today than it should be, but I can see you do not mind it.” Rein smiled as he took another break of laughter. “Is it Saria you’re looking for?” “Yes,” she replied, shading her eyes with her hand. “Is she home?” “She’s most likely waiting for you, dear girl! Check around by the garden. She spends all day in that garden of hers behind the estate.” Rein smiled at him again and thanked him with a nod. She let go of her dress, letting it fall and drag in the dirt, and walked around the back of the estate into the garden. Saria, a small, thin girl, sat in the garden with her head tilted to the side. She was almost hidden between the ivy and the different sorts of flowers she was watching from the bench. Her parasol was high and her bonnet large, shading her well from the sun. Her dark, braided hair was neatly tied in a ribbon, and she was in a most elaborate dress. She motioned for Rein to come near, but as she approached Saria’s face grew grim with shock. “Rein!” she called with frantic distress, sitting tall and slapping her hands on her thighs. “Dear Rein! What are you doing to your dress?” Rein looked down at herself and laughed a little. “It is an old dress, Saria.” “An old dress especially! It is much too beautiful and antique to be dragging in the garden! Look at the bottom of it—already filthy!” Rein blinked a few times as her hair blew into her eyes again. “Why do you worry so about my dress?” she asked, taking a seat next to Saria on the garden bench. “Oh, please do not make me say it!” Saria huffed with intolerance. Rein smiled. “I merely came to ask you if you’ve spoken with your father yet.” “About what?” “Oh, please, Saria, the trip! Have you spoken to him about the trip?” Saria looked bemused for a moment, but then sighed with a giggle. “I did, I did, yes. Have you written to your own father?” “I don’t need to write to him,” Rein answered impatiently. “He is still in France, and I’m sure he won’t respond. He hasn’t for fourteen years.” Saria looked sad for a moment. “You want this much to leave?” she asked with a sigh. “America is beautiful, I am sure, but I do not think your idea of leaving England for it is suitable enough for my parents.” Rein stared down at her feet. “It isn’t that I want to go to America. I just want to see the ocean, on a ship. Visit a place far from here—” “Oh, Rein! Can you not give up these dreams of yours? We’re meant to be here! We are barely even allowed to travel around the town, let alone to another country!” She sighed. “Rein, it’s hard to have a serious conversation with you when you are so careless and obstinate about your attire! Look at you; you’re dustier than an ox! Your beautiful face is filthy and your dress—” “Is dress all you can think about?” Rein asked with a moan. Her smile won Saria over. “I’ve looked into it,” she continued on, forgetting Saria’s distaste. “I’ve spoken to Mr. Harold, the baker, and he said he’s been there. It's wonderful. He said there is a port as close as Easington.” “But we have no reason to go,” Saria replied, her green eyes looking hopeless. “Can I do nothing to change your mind?” “Saria, it’s only a trip. Only for a little while. Imagine seeing the ocean on a steamboat! Wouldn’t it be wonderful?” Rein looked at Saria’s father on the front lawn. “I have no one to stop me from going. My father has no choice. I have been out of Barnard long enough to do what I please. I have the money.” “You know that my parents tried very hard to get you out of that boarding school to live with us, but your father—” Saria cleared her throat, and then she smiled. “And I must agree, Rein, that I would enjoy a trip away from here.” Her smile became mischievous. “And I am going with you…I’m just trying to persuade you to stay.” “Persuade me to stay?” Rein repeated, still pushing the lingering thought of Barnard from her mind. “Why persuade me?” She slid her hand across her head to make sure her hair was in place. “I don’t know. I just think it’s an insensible notion. I do want to go with you, though.” With a bite of her bottom lip and a teasing smile she pulled three pieces of paper from her hand purse. “I’ve even made arrangements,” she said slyly. Rein’s eyes widened and she smiled with overjoyed delight. “Tickets? You have tickets? You rag, Saria! You love to torment me, don’t you? Well when? When are we going?” “Tomorrow! I’ve talked to my father and he’ll take us. Well, to the ship, anyway. Edgar, one of our senior butlers, is going to come with us. But knowing him, he’ll leave us plenty be, and—” “Saria, that’s so wonderful!” Rein said, hopping off the bench and throwing her arms around Saria. “You already have tickets—my goodness!” “Apparently it’s one of the finest ships there are,” Saria said, pulling away. She looked down and brushed off her bodice. “Oh, Rein! Look what you’ve done, hugging me like that! My dress is nearly covered in dirt!” “I don’t have a bit of dirt on me,” Rein said with frustration. “I don’t understand why you pester me so much!” Saria sighed and then giggled, throwing her arms around Rein despite the dirt. “Oh, I love you just as you are, Rein! You beautiful piece of God’s creation! You should just learn to work with your beauty instead of working against it. If only we were blood sisters, perhaps I’d have a slight chance of having as much beauty as you!” “Don’t say such a silly thing, ever. You’re perfectly handsome! And tomorrow will be fine—great!” she said with a laugh, turning and making her way toward the front of the house. “We’ll have so much fun together! It will be worth it, I promise.” “I am sure it will be.” “My! I have to pack!” Rein burst with excitement. “You will enjoy it, won’t you?” she called, turning around to face her friend. “Yes, of course I will. It just isn’t common for women to leave home. We have everything we need. I’m not yet nineteen and you’re barely twenty. We’ve still time to find nice gentlemen, marry, have children—” Saria stopped abruptly. “Oh, my! Nice gentlemen will be absolutely abundant on a steamship, won’t they?” She clapped her hands together. “And any on a steamship ought to be rich, too, you know.” Rein shook her head with a grin. “Sometimes your intentions worry me.” Saria laughed. “Well then I shall meet you at your gate a little after noontime with my father. Is that all right? Then we can have lunch before we go.” “That’s perfect,” she returned. With a wave of her hand, Rein turned and exited through the iron gate, full of excitement for the next morning.

~Chapter 2~

The sky was black with night, and the combination of the ocean mist and the downpour was freezing on Rein’s face. There was a beautiful full moon that lit the ocean’s surface enough to see the boat’s reflection in the water. But a thick fog made it hard to see any farther than a yard or two. Despite the chilling downpour, the waves were rather calm. She shivered; her skin was crawling with chills. She was on the small boat with only Saria, Mr. Kendrick, Edgar, a skipper, and a small rowing crew. Despite the terrible weather, Rein did not complain about having to ride on a dinghy for a few miles to the new steamship that would eventually take her to America.

...

There was an error in this gadget

Insperatus

England, 1843: Twenty-year-old Rein Pierson embarks on a voyage to America to escape a past she is desperately trying to forget. She boards a massive steamship—one that conceals all manner of peculiar phenomenon. Aboard the ship, Rein meets a man who seems the embodiment of her dreams, but, like everything else she uncovers, he harbors a deep secret. As Insperatus unfolds, Rein Pierson finds herself in a whirlwind of emotion—confused about her growing love for the dashing but mystifying Traith Harker, frightened by his secret that reveals the supernatural world that is encroaching above her own, and heartbroken as tragedy disrupts her voyage.

Writer Refreshment: Quote of the Day

Want to contact Kelly?

I will try to answer any and all questions submitted, as this is the email address I operate from. All are welcome, but I cannot guarantee that all will be answered right away, so please be patient. Thanks. :)

There was an error in this gadget

"Insperatus has all the romance of James Cameron's Titanic, the unbridled passion of Twilight, and all the mysticism and adventure of Harry Potter." -Lisa, reader

About the Author

Kelly Varesio lives in New Jersey. She graduated high school in 2009 and is currently going to college for nursing. At only sixteen years old, she managed a feat that not many authors have done. Kelly wrote Insperatus, her first novel, off ideas that had been with her for years—ideas mixed with historical accuracy and an effort to create realism in fiction. It’s surprising to most that a book so maturely written can come from a source so young. Kelly hopes to be an inspiration for young writers today and a good example of how to pursue dreams.

Want Kelly to sign near you?

If anyone would like to try and set up a signing, reading, or lecture from/with Kelly Varesio regarding Insperatus, contact her at KVARESIO@AOL.COM. She's already been a guest speaker as part of Woodstown High School's Creative Writing classes, as well as high school career fairs. She is looking and very open to not only promote Insperatus, but to also talk to others like herself about following their dreams, whether it be in writing or other areas of life.

Insperatus T-Shirts

This is an example of the men's cut, but women's sizes are also available. Find me at a book signing to grab your own! Limited time only!

UPCOMING SIGNINGS

2010 Signings:

Wizard World Philadelphia--June 11-13th (PA)

Millville Arts Festival--September 12th (NJ)

Collingswood Book Festival--October 2nd (NJ)

Wizard World NJ-- October 15-17th (Edison, NJ)

Currently scheduling book signings. Please check back for updated dates and times. Thanks!

REVIEWS!

Readers don't realize (heck, I didn't even until I was an author) that REVIEWS are one of the most important assets an author can have for her book. Please take the time to rate and give even small reviews on Insperatus on websites, and even to local bookstores or friends. As I am slowly learning, REVIEWS ARE ONE OF AN AN AUTHORS BESTEST FRIENDS. And thanks to those of you who already have--it means a lot. :)

What some readers have already said...

"SERIOUSLY! EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK! I LOVED IT!!!!!!!"

"i never thought i would be able to read a book just for the sake of reading a book. I was always too distracted or busy doing something else. I finished this book in 6 days, and I loved it. :) thanks Kelly :)"

"Better than Twilight!"

"The romance of Titanic, Mysticism of Twilight, and Action of Harry Potter."

"Insperatus doesn't fit a mold of any kind. It overflows and trickles past this and that, grabbing pieces here and there. It truely keeps you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait for the second one!"

"From beginning to end it kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I found it difficult to put down for exactly the same reason. People who have seen me reading it I have told they should read it too."

"I really enjoyed this book. I purchased this book at the Philadelphia Wizard convention and was excited to read it. Although the author is young I enjoyed the story and thought the book was well thought out and written. There was enough romance, and suspense and a very good fight at the end. If you liked Twilight I would recommend this book. While it is written in a different time period it is apparent that the author did her research. And I really connected with the characters. I cared about what happened to them and I wanted them to get their happy ending. The book ended in a cliff hanger, and left the author with the option to write a sequel/companion book. I think she has set up a nice little world and would love to see it expanded upon."

--goodreads.com review

"A NEW VAMPIRE LOVE STORY FOR TWILIGHT FANS....

INSPERATUS is the RED HOT NEW vampire series from the amazingly talented author Kelly Varesio. Although INSPERATUS is a familiar genre, it is in no way cliche' or predictable, Kelly Varesio has created an entire alternative universe wherein her story takes place, it is a world of magic and mysticism, where vampires, witches, and werewolves do exist, while being so historically accurate that it blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. This book will soon be an impossible-to-find, extremely valuable collectible. Kelly is currently working on her second installment in the series and her book is growing more and more popular everyday so it won't be long before it will be impossible to get a book like this without paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars. KELLY IS ALSO A SUPER TALENTED ARTIST, SHE DID A CUSTOM SKETCH OF EDWARD AND BELLA FOR ME THAT WAS SIMPLY AMAZING. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT INSPERATUS AND AUTHOR KELLY VARESIO BY VISITING HER OFFICIAL SITE..."

--Ebay store-owner headliners

"Dear Kelly...

...I picked up Insperatus at the Wizard World convention in Philadelphia. I just finished it tonight, and I wanted to just tell you how happy I was with it and really hope you continue to expand on this world.I thought it was a great story from start to finish. When Traith turned Rein I must say I wasn't expecting that, but was pleased. And the epilouge was intriguing...I would love to know how Carden got back to Romania, how did he survive the ship. Hopefully that will be material for a sequel! Great Book! I will be looking for more!"

--Cyndi

BELOW ARE JUST SOME OF MY AVID READERS... ;)V V V

Star Trek actress Marina Sirtis

Terminators' Kristanna Locken

Deal or No Deal's Leyla Milani

Darth Mau...

the Storm Troopers love Insperatus, as well...

Darth Vader...

Matt Serra, UFC Fighter

the one and only, Captain America

Insperatus author Kelly Varesio on YouTube

Loading...

Followers

A Wonderful Reader Review of Insperatus

~~~"I have been so fully engrossed in this delicious book, delicious might seem an odd word used to describe a book but it is actually a term I stole from my literature professor in college...her and I shared the same passion for the written word, and she coined the term delicious in referring to either a book, paragraph, or sentence that was so rich and creatively structured that you can taste it, it's those passages that are so very perfect that you feel every emotion and see every image as though you were the character. The thing I love most is that although [Insperatus] is a familiar genre, it is in no way cliche' or predictable, and Kelly Varesio has created an entire alternative universe wherein her story takes place, this is not easily done, as you well know, it is a world of magic and mysticism, where vampires, witches, and werewolves do exist, but so historically accurate that it makes it seem like it could be true. I can tell that, in the books to come, Kelly will continue to delve deeper in developing not only her characters but also her fantastic alternative universe, I hope that she will continue to include factual events in our history in her story and give alternative mystical explanations for certain things. ...To me Insperatus has all the romance of James Cameron's Titanic, the unbridled passion of Twilight, and all the mysticism and adventure of Harry Potter, it is like all my favorite story teller's got together and wrote a book. Kelly Varesio is so very talented and unbelievably creative. I have not yet finished, I have about 20 chapters to go, and I am at the point where I cant wait to see how it ends but I dont want to rush it because I dont want it to be over yet, when will the 2nd book be out? : )...I'm so thankful I was introduced to [Insperatus]."~~~